An electronic device such as a notebook computer may include one or more removable modules such as a battery module or a data storage module (e.g., a data drive). Such a removable module is typically disposed in a bay of the electronic device and secured at one or more contact points.
If the module is secured at only one single contact point, the single contact point may need to support a substantial portion of the weight of the module during normal operation. Additionally, the single contact point may need to endure extra stress or strain in abnormal conditions such as when the electronic device is dropped. Accordingly, the single contact point and related parts may need to be quite substantial in size to provide sufficient structural support. When bulky parts are used, the cost and weight of the electronic device may be disadvantageously increased.
Further, if the module is long and slender, flatness and straightness disparity between the module and the electronic device often results in gaps and surface offsets. Such gaps and surface offsets are undesirable from a reliability and cosmetic point of view. Therefore, it is advisable that the module should be secured at multiple contact points.
Securing the module in the electronic device at multiple contact points may be accomplished by a multi-point latch mechanism such as a drop-and-slide mechanism, a multi-interaction multi-point latch mechanism, or two-way snaps or ball detents. However, such conventional multi-point latch mechanisms have various problems and disadvantages.
A drop-and-slide mechanism allows a user to drop a module into a bay of an electronic device and to slide the module along one or more rails to a secured position. Typically, such a drop-and-slide mechanism may provide, on the one or more rails, multiple contact points that share the weight of the module. As such, the above-mentioned requirements of material rigidity may be mitigated. However, drop-and-slide mechanisms tend to be inefficient with respect to space utilization. In particular, the space required for the module to slide results in wasted space in the electronic device.
A multi-interaction multi-point latch mechanism allows a user to simultaneously or sequentially operate two or more control members to actuate two or more latches to secure the module at multiple contact points. Such a mechanism typically requires two hands or multiple fingers to keep the electronic device in place and to engage or disengage latches. In performing this task, non-intuitive learning or extra caution may also be required. Some users have found such multi-interaction multi-point latch mechanisms difficult to use.
Two-way snaps and ball detents also may also secure a module at multiple contact points. Such mechanisms require a user to overcome threshold forces when installing the module into the bay or removing the module from the bay. Accordingly, the portions of the module where the user exerts force and where the module contacts the snaps or detents must withstand additional pressure and wear, necessitating a bulky construction and/or exotic or expensive material. Further, when the module is being removed from the bay, a sudden release of the module may cause the user to drop the module when threshold forces are overcome, thus potentially causing significant damage to the module.